It stands to reason that during a promotion season, there are lots of potential Player of the Year candidates. When the winner is announced, I expect it will be either Ryan Wintle or Joel Bagan, both of whom would be very worthy recipients.
At the start of last season, I happened to be sat in the same café as Wintle, who I noticed was trawling Rightmove. He had been effectively phased out by Erol Bulut and in the days that followed was shipped out to Millwall. It felt like his time at the club was drawing to an undignified end, but that loan spell finished and three managers later, his redemption commenced. This season, Wintle has been the glue that has held the whole operation together, as Brian Barry-Murphy has played to his strengths and left him to do the team’s dirty work.
Bagan has been in and around the Cardiff side for the best part of six seasons now, without ever truly nailing down a starting spot. That changed this season. He has been Cardiff’s most consistent player and played more minutes than any other outfield player. Along with the resurgent Perry Ng on the opposite flank, the trio are all soon out of contract and if they’re keeping their options open, they couldn’t have timed their career best form better.
None of these guys are my Player of the Year though because Dylan Lawlor is having a monumental campaign and I just can’t look past him for the end of season accolade.
Embed from Getty ImagesBear in mind that no one really knew what was coming our way. Lawlor impressed against Aston Villa in the cup last season, but young players often do when afforded such opportunities and it’s not always a trustworthy measure of future greatness. Pre-season is when the whispers really began and they got pretty loud ahead of the opening game of the campaign. I was quick to play down others’ expectations because that sort of pressure often doesn’t help, but I’m happy to say that they were right and I was wrong.
Lawlor struggled in those first few games, which is hardly surprising because it’s a huge step up from youth and reserve football. He got bashed about and found the going tough in the third tier, but he very quickly acclimatised. The very good players always do, see also Omari Kellyman.
There was a new deal very early on in the season, which was both very sensible and eased fears that Lawlor might not be just passing through. He also quickly became a staple in the Welsh national squad and this exemplifies how the stars aligned for Lawlor this year. He is very much a modern centre back, blessed with the composure of ball carrying ability of a central midfielder.
He also has the good fortune of playing for two managers that value and encourage those qualities in Barry-Murphy and Craig Bellamy. Cardiff dropping down a level has also aided his development because without the permanent pressure of a relegation scrap, he has been afforded the opportunity to make mistakes without being severely punished and the patience to learn from them.
Embed from Getty ImagesThere have been errors, but Lawlor owns them and does not shy away from the responsibility he has earned. He’s a progressive passer and sometimes gives the ball away, but the benefits of having that in the team by far outweigh the negatives. When Wales played their World Cup play-off, Lawlor was selected to deputise for the absent Ben Davies and not only did it not phase him, he thrived and looked every inch his heir apparent.
Both Lawlor’s goals to date were eye-catching solo runs out of defence, not seen in these parts since the days of Danny Gabbidon and it is evidently a quality he has in his locker. I also think that Barry-Murphy was managed the squad excellently this season and it has been the secret to their success, but I think he has handled Lawlor particularly well, taking him out when needed to alleviate the pressure and to allow recovery during his first full season in professional football. It’s easy to forget that he’s only played about 30 games in men’s football because he’s already so polished and confident, but this season will have taken a toll on his body and I’m sure the summer break can’t come soon enough.
The likelihood is that had Cardiff not gone up this season, they probably would have lost Lawlor this summer. They still might, but the chance to test himself at a higher level, in what is finally a stable environment, should see him stick around, shy of a ridiculous offer from somewhere. For Cardiff to hold on to Lawlor long-term, they will have to keep up with his development, which is a barely believable pace, so there is a widely held resignation in the background, but for now, just marvel at a special talent that has had a truly exceptional breakthrough year.